Introduction
Vincent Philippe Antoine Candela (French pronunciation: [vɛ̃sɑ̃ kɑ̃dəˈla]; born 24 October 1973) is a former French footballer. With the French national team, Candela won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, as well as Euro 2000.
Candela was a quick, offensive-minded, and technically skilled left wingback, who was effective at joining the attack as well as being capable in defence, due to his intelligence and tenacity. Although he preferred playing on the left flank, he was naturally right-footed, and was also capable of playing on the right, both as a full-back, and as a winger, and was an accurate crosser and set-piece taker.
Club career
At club level, Candela played football in France with Toulouse (1992–95) and Guingamp (1995–97), before moving to Italian side A.S. Roma (1997–2005). He won one scudetto with Roma, as well as the Supercoppa Italiana, in 2001, also helping the club to the 2003 Coppa Italia Final. He later joined English side Bolton Wanderers (2005), before returning to Italy to play for Udinese (2005–2006), and Siena (2006–2007), as well as spending a spell on loan with Messina (2007). On 28 January 2007 he played his last Serie A match for Messina against Ascoli.
International career
For France, Candela was capped 40 times between 1996 and 2003, scoring five goals. His playing time was often limited by Bixente Lizarazu, but he did play in one match during France's 1998 FIFA World Cup triumph on home soil. During France's triumphant Euro 2000 campaign, Candela played two matches, both as a starter. He also played for France at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 14 October 1998 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  Andorra |
|
|
UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 2. | 6 October 2001 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  Algeria |
|
|
Friendly match |
Personal life
Candela and his wife, Mara, welcomed their first child, Angelica, in April 2005.
Media
Candela was a dubbing actor in the Italian-language version of Shaolin Soccer. In 2014, he was one of the contestants of the show Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Dancing with the stars. He and his partner were the second eliminated couple.
Honours
Club
- Roma
- Serie A: 2000–01
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2001
International
- France
- FIFA World Cup: 1998
- UEFA European Championship: 2000
Individual
- A.S. Roma Hall of Fame: 2013
Orders
- He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1998